Russia wants to establish a full partnership with the Taliban

Russia wants to establish a full partnership with the Taliban, who rule Afghanistan, and encourages other countries in the region to strengthen cooperation with Kabul, Russian official Sergei Shoigu said last night, the British agency Reuters reported on its website.

Last year, Russia became the first country to officially recognize the Taliban government, which has been in power since the chaotic withdrawal of the last US forces in August 2021.

The Russian Interfax news agency quoted Russian official Sergei Shoigu as saying that cooperation with Kabul is important for the security and development of the region.

Shoigu, who is the secretary of Russia's Security Council, said Moscow is establishing a pragmatic dialogue with the Taliban, focusing on security, trade, culture and humanitarian aid.

Shoigu was speaking at a meeting with his counterparts from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a 10-member grouping made up of China, India, Iran, Pakistan and several states of the former Soviet Union.

The organization is expected to relaunch its contact group with Afghanistan, Shoigu added.

The Taliban were designated as a terrorist organization in Russia in 2003, but that designation was lifted in April 2025.

Russia believes that cooperation with Kabul is necessary, as it faces a major security threat from Islamist groups based in a number of countries, from Afghanistan to the Middle East.